Mom's writing, Britain 1988

April 25, 1988
To airport 1.30 PM. check in- around to inspection spot. Finally got Pat thru check point- HEAVY METAL!- (meaning my jacket, which had all kinds of badges on it pjd)

3 hot dogs, etc, later Sharon and Ashley flew
in followed by Richard who ‘s in the dog house.

Aboard the AA we find seats as desired. Drink and peanuts. Arrived Dallas late. Dash thru hand baggage “security” check and board plane immediately to find our seats in smoking section. We’re the middle two of four :(

Moved forward just before take off to next row- aisle and one with next one empty. Better but the smoke was particularly bad just after meals or refreshments were served. EVERYONE lit up then at the same time.

Pat had veggie dinner, I the filet, which was good! Peanuts and drink before dinner, water during the night, OJ come first light then breakfast. (Mom was diabetic, and this really long flight was quite hard on her. Luckily, I knew what to do. pjd)

Beautiful landing. Quick luggage pick-up- thru customs- no check. To bank in Gatwick-ticket queue- to train. Smooth ride, spring green on the trees, fuchsia trees in bloom, into Victoria station. Black cab to Eccleston Hotel, tea and juice rm 302- double locked.

Pat showered. I fell abed. Up about 5.30 PM London time (her internal clock was messed up for the first day or so. pjd), washed, dressed, walked- dinner at Garfunkle’s, tube to the Ship (pub) walked to Piccadilly Square, tube to Victoria station & walk to hotel. Phoned Lena and Gary who came over for a visit w/ Pat in the lobby. I carefully brushed my teeth with Tronolane (for those not in the know....hemorrhoid med......pjd ) and fell happily into bed to watch TV, which I couldn’t see because Patty’s sox were ‘tween my eyeballs and the screen and I was too weary to strain around or over them. So I picked up the Reader’s Digest and became engrossed in an article on I think it was elephants- until I realized that each line had become one very long word. At which time I said “Goodnight, world, wherever you are!”

And suddenly, it’s Wednesday-

Patty’s raring to go at five-ish AM.......
( note: I am a night owl by nature, but when traveling at least at first, things get turned around. pjd)

Breakfast is laid outside our door just after six-
consists of juice cornflakes and milk, 4 sturdy hot dog rolls, butter, flora (sic), jellies, coffee and tea makings.

(there’s something listed here that I think applied to the Eccleston room, but I am not sure . pjd)
sand bag pillows, talkative basin drain, stubborn door lock, shower audience.

(I vaguely remember some of this...bugs in the shower. Noisy drain. Luckily we took it in stride, and learned to laugh at some of this stuff. It was a fun trip, really. pjd)

27th-
showers, breakfast, out to bank, post office then on the double decker bus tour ( in the rain.)
Malcolm at the wheel did some fancy driving, the traffic a frantic life and death deal- Biddie, our travel guide, made it easier by taking one’s mind off the foaming torrent long enough to see London. The tulips were beautiful and HUGE. The buildings either too clean or black with aged dirt. So much in the process of baths with plastic covers for entire structures. Of all, Big Ben impressed me as a grimy, gritty little boy just gleaming after a sudsy scrub. All new gold leaf glittered proudly.

We purchased some scarfs (sic), had lunch in the hotel coffee shop and snoozed until time to set out to meet Gary Price at Covent Gardens (in the rain.) Looked around the Covent Gardens General store, had tea then went on to open shops. Tube back to hotel.

(Gary and his now ex, Lena, were pagan friends of mine. He was taking me down to a store called Mysteries. Nice place, but small. I bought an anthame there. Wouldn’t be allowed to bring it home today.....pjd)


Gary & Lena came to hotel- cab to Indian restaurant for dinner and evening. Cab back to hotel after stroll thru shopping area.


I awoke early, early. To bank, shopping, then tube,tube,tube to train to Cobham! (The Moody Blues are long time my #1 band- I once knew them pretty well. This village is where they had their offices. pjd) I fell in love with the friendly,peaceful rural area.

I met Wyn and Jackie, saw Threshold which has under gone considerable change since Pat’s first visit. The new office is still being settled. There’s an architect’s office up stairs now. Lunched in a delightful little bakery and then saw the town shopping area. Each shop is small, individual, inviting and the total picture is charming. The cherry trees in bloom were gorgeous as were the tulips and other fruit trees. I thin k I could find life in Cobham most satisfying.

Back to London- tube,tube,tube- dinner at hotel- a mistake we later learn. Pat out- (meaning she turned in and I went to find some night life! pjd)

Breakfast in the room- cab to Pennington Station. Started BritRail passes. Train ride smooth, clean and roomy. Changed trains in________ to St Erth. Cab to St Ives and The Old Vicarage ( B&B). Patty feeling awful- nausea.
She went to bed. Jack Sykes brought some salted crackers.
(what mom doesn’t explain or perhaps did not realise is how bad I really was. And trying to explain the american idea of a saltine took about 20 minutes of work on my part. I don’t remember what he called what he brought me, but it was, as the Brits say, spot on. pjd)

I met Maviz and Fred Allen having a cocktail. They’re from Leeds, Yorkshire, and regulars at the Old Vicarage. Usually take their holiday in Septembre.

Dinner alone- Baked Haddock. Everything delicious. Jack served- Irene cooks. Only the Allens and one other young couple and me. Turned in after dinner. TV and PC (postcard) writing.

Next AM- Patty some better. After breakfast Jack phoned to arrange car rental then took us to the Esso station where we rented a little red Ford Fiesta. What a thrill! Gearshift on the left of the driver who is on the right of the car. Out on the road we went- Patty did a beautiful job- hit the curb a time ro two and may have given a cow a turn but I’m proud!

We found a little museum in Zennor. Richard and Betty Williamson and British Blue cats Prudence and Belle were most pleasant hosts. Water wheel working in front. Tools and implements in several small buildings.

Before the museum we went around the church nearby and met Mr. Eddey who was visiting his birthplace after many years.
Finally found the Pipers and Merry Maids standing stones.

lunched at the Lobster Pot in Mousehole overlooking the Alantic. We sat in the pub

(This isn't quite all of her journal notes, but I find they became quite fractured after this entry. I suspect it may have had to do with our driving through Wales, Harrogate and york- she couldn't read in a moving car, so writing was definitely out! pjd)